萬松老人評唱天童覺和尚頌古從容庵錄 5.61

5.61

The Master said: The composition of the 'Three Phrases' began with Baizhang Dazhi and took its principle from the Diamond Prajñā. Baizhang said: 'The words of the teachings are all three phrases linked together—good in the beginning, middle, and end. In the beginning, one must straightaway have them bring forth a good mind; in the middle, crush the good mind; in the end, it is first named truly good. Thus, a bodhisattva is not a bodhisattva; this is named a bodhisattva. Dharma, non-dharma, non-non-dharma—all are just like this. If one speaks only one phrase, it causes sentient beings to enter hell. If all three phrases are spoken at once, they enter hell on their own, having nothing to do with the Teacher of the Doctrine. To say that right now discernment and awareness are one's own Buddha is the initial good. Not abiding in right now discernment and awareness is the middle good. Nor forming an understanding of not abiding is the final good.' Yunmen once said: 'Within heaven, covering and encasing heaven and earth; watching the dynamic to the dram and grain, not touching worldly conditions—how will you take it up?' For them he answered himself: 'One arrow pierces the three passes.' Although he had this intent, he never established them as three phrases. Later, Great Master Yuanming of the ninth generation of Deshan in Dingzhou, whose taboo-name was Yuanmi, ascended the hall and said: 'Deshan has three phrases: one phrase covers and encases heaven and earth; one phrase follows the waves and pursues the billows; one phrase cuts off the flow of the multitudes.' Later, Chan Master Dao of Mount Pu'an in Dingzhou composed verses on the three phrases above. The verse on 'covering and encasing heaven and earth' says: 'Heaven and earth along with the myriad forms, / Hell as well as heaven— / Everything is truly seen, / Everywhere functioning without harm.' The verse on 'cutting off the flow of the multitudes' says: 'Piled up like hills and heaped like peaks they come, / Each and every one completely dust and dirt. / If you intend further to discuss the profound and subtle, / Like ice melting and tiles shattering, all is crushed.' The verse on 'following the waves and pursuing the billows' says: 'Questioned with an eloquent mouth and sharp tongue, / High and low are answered without falling short. / Just like medicine matching the illness, / Diagnosis depends on the moment.' Outside of the three phrases, if that person should raise and chant it, how could the three phrases encompass it? Someone asked what matter this was: 'Nanyue and Tiantai.' People often point to these verses as having been composed by Yunmen; this is all due to examining the texts without care. Dao was an heir to Deshan Mi; Mi was an heir to Yunmen. Although Yunmen had the sayings 'within heaven covering and encasing' and 'one arrow [piercing] the three passes', it was because the Venerable Mi brought them forth and the Venerable Dao versified them—handed down through three generations—that the three phrases first became clear. This is largely the same, with slight differences, from Dayang's three phrases and the Three Profound and Three Essentials [of Linji]. Shoushan instructed the assembly, saying: 'If you comprehend at the first phrase, you act as teacher to the buddhas and patriarchs.' Huangbo was the head monk under Nanquan. One day he occupied Nanquan's seat. Nanquan arrived and asked, 'In what year did the head monk practice the Way?' Huangbo said, 'Before the Buddha King of Awesome Sound.' Nanquan said, 'You are still Teacher Wang's descendant; get down!' Huangbo then stepped down and returned to his original seat. Jingqing said, 'Vairocana has a master; the Dharmakāya has a host'—this is called the transcendent person beyond the buddhas and patriarchs. This is why it is said, 'If you comprehend at the first phrase, you act as teacher to the buddhas and patriarchs.' Lingshu left behind a sealed box, saying, 'The head monk in the hall is the eyes of humans and devas.' The head monk was none other than Yunmen. This is why it is said, 'If you comprehend at the second phrase, you act as teacher to humans and devas.' Do not, upon seeing Wansong speak this way, go on to say that Nanquan could act as teacher to the buddhas and patriarchs while Yunmen could only act as teacher to humans and devas. One might say: 'In front of a fool, you must not tell dreams.' Wansong has merely cited one or two as examples. As for those who cannot even save themselves, they do not enter the patriarchal rank; how are they worth mentioning? The monk then asked, 'At which phrase did the Venerable comprehend?' In the rotten mud there are thorns. Shoushan said, 'When the moon sets at the third watch, passing through the marketplace.' This is indeed 'the traveler is still beyond the blue mountains.' Tiantong saw that no one dared speak on this case, so right where hands are thrust and feet are spiked, he intertwined and versified it. The verse says: